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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/practicalhandboo00trev_0 


FRONTISPIECE. 


A PRACTICAL  HAND-BOOK 

— Op  — 

. . JVIODERH— — k. 

PHOTOGRAPHY, 

Fop  the  use  of  flmateups. 

By  EDWARD  T.  BUSIER,  2nd. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


LYNN,  MASS. 

BUBIER  PUBLISHING  COMPANY. 

1803. 


COPYRIGHTED  BY 
BUBIER  PUBLISHING  CO, 
1893. 


Press  of  G.  H.  & W.  A.  Nichols,  Lynn. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 


Introduction,  .......  7 

Chapter  I,  Exposure,  9 

Chapter  II,  Development, 23 

Chapter  III,  Printing,  Toning  and  Mounting,  . 38 

Phapter  IV,  Conclusion,  .....  54 


MODERN  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


INTRODUCTION. 

No  art  offers  so  many  attractions  or  so 
much  amusement  as  photography.  In  it  one 
may  gratify  his  mechanical  taste  and  at  the 
same  time  find  a wholesome  recreation.  The 
process  of  photography  has  become  so  simple 
as  to  enable  even  an  amateur  to  produce  work 
that  would  a few  years  ago  have  been  envied 
by  a professional.  The  invention  and  com- 
mercial manufacture  of  dry  plates  has  placed 
within  the  means  of  everybody  a successful 
and  instructive  occupation,  whereby  his  innate 
taste  for  the  beautiful  may  be  cultivated  to  an 
unlimited  degree. 

Although  to-day  the  army  of  amateur  pho- 
tographers is  large,  it  is  still  rapidly  increasing, 


together  with  a demand  for  literature  of  a sim- 
ple nature  upon  the  subject. 

For  these  reasons  I add  my  mite  to  the  list 
in  the  form  of  this  little  book.  It  is  not  writ- 
ten for  the  professional  and  no  pretence  is 
made  of  its  being  a complete  treatise ; but  I 
trust  the  “amateur,”  for  whom  it  is  intended, 
will  find  enough  to  pay  him  for  reading  it. 

The  formula^  are  not  original,  but  have  been 
selected  from  the  best  authorities  and  many 
of  them  have  been  thoroughly  tested  by  the 
writer. 

Such  simple  apparatus  is  described  as  is 
thought  to  be  the  most  useful  for  the  reader. 
I have  purposely  omitted  the  wet  plate  pro- 
cess, as  I consider  it  too  complicated  for  the 
general  use  of  amateurs. 

Edward  T.  Bubier,  2nd. 
Lynn,  Mass.,  July  15,  1893. 


CHAPTER  I. 


EXPOSURE. 

The  Dark  Room . — The  first  thing  essen- 
tial is  for  the  operator  to  have  a dark  room, 
and  it  must  be  “totally  dark”  in  every 
sense  of  the  word.  Where  one  has  a good 
dark  closet  he  may  make  use  of  it,  if  not 
he  must  build  one,  being  sure  that  there 
are  no  cracks  to  let  in  the  light.  In  the 
evening  an  ordinary  room  may  be  utilized, 
the  curtains  being  drawn  and  all  lights  put 
out,  the  ruby  lamp  alone  being  used.  The 
dark  room  is  used  for  changing  the  plates 
and  developing  the  negatives.  If  possible 
have  a faucet  and  sink  in  the  dark  room 
where  you  may  have  plenty  of  running 
water  to  wash  the  plates. 

The  Rudy  Lamp . — The  light  from  a 
ruby  lamp  is  the  only  light  to  be  used  in  the 


IO 


dark  room.  There  are  many  good  lamps 
in  the  market  and  a very  good  one  may  be 
bought  for  a small  sum.  If  the  amateur 
desires  to  make  one  he  may  do  so  by  fol- 
lowing the  directions  below. 

Take  a tin  box  with  a sliding  cover ; cut 
a round  or  square  hole,  about  four  inches 
across,  in  the  side  ; cover  the  hole  with 
ruby  fabric  or  glass  ; make  a few  small  air 
holes  in  the  top  of  the  box  to  let  out  the 
heat  from  the  candle  or  lamp,  which  is  to 
be  placed  inside.  If  a candle  is  used  a 
small  piece  of  tin  may  be  coiled  and 
soldered  to  the  bottom  of  the  box  to  hold 
the  candle  firmly.  After  lighting  the  can- 
dle or  lamp  place  the  cover  on  the  box  and 
your  ruby  light  is  ready  for  use.  A dia- 
gram of  the  lantern  is  given  in  figure  i. 

The  Camera . — For  beginners  the  writer 
will  recommend  a small  size,  2^x4  inches 


1 1 


12 


or  4x5  inches  will  be  large  enough  as  he 
will  invariably  spoil  some  plates  and  neces- 
sarily need  some  practice  before  he  can 
turn  out  good  work.  It  will  be  better  for 
him  to  use  small  size  plates,  as  they  are 
less  expensive.  After  he  has  become  pro- 
ficient he  may  procure  a larger  camera. 

Dry  Plates . — Be  sure  and  dust  the  dry 
plates  before  putting  them  into  the  plate- 
holder.  Also  dust  the  plate  holder,  as 
dust  is  liable  to  fall  on  to  the  plates  and 
cause  pin  holes  in  the  negatives.  For 
this  purpose  use  a fine  camel’s  hair  brush 
which  will  not  scratch  them.  Be  careful 
and  not  scratch  them  with  your  fingers. 
Place  the  dry  plates  in  your  plate  holder 
with  the  glossy  side  in  and  the  film  or 
dull  side  out  toward  the  slides.  Before 
leaving  the  dark  room  see  that  the  slides 
in  your  plate  holder  are  shut  down  secure 


13 


c | and  that  the  covers  are  on  your  box  of 
plates  to  protect  them  from  the  light. 
Keep  the  dry  plates  and  all  apparatus  in  a 
dry  place.  Dampness  is  not  to  be  toler- 
ated under  any  circumstances. 

Exposure . — The  time  of  exposure  de- 
pends upon  the  make  of  the  camera,  kind 
of  plates,  time  of  day  (whether  bright  or 
i cloudy),  whether  the  picture  is  to  be 
taken  in  or  out  of  doors,  the  object  to 
be  photographed,  etc.  For  instantaneous 
! photography,  a shutter  is  used.  The  cam- 
era must  be  brought  into  position,  the 
object  focused  and  the  button  pressed , or 
shutter  dropped  by  some  other  means 
when  the  plate  is  ready  for  development. 
Hand  cameras  usually  have  an  arrange- 
ment whereby  focusing  may  be  done  with- 
out the  aid  of  the  ground  glass.  In 
all  cases  where  it  is  possible  the  writer 


14 


prefers  time  exposures.  For  time  exposure 
the  camera  is  placed  in  position  and  the 
object  focused  on  the  ground  glass.  Take 
plenty  of  time  in  focusing.  In  photo- 
graphing stationary  objects  on  a bright  day 
the  writer  prefers  a small  diaphram.  The 
use  of  a small  diaphram  requires  a longer 
exposure,  but  gives  a sharper  picture.  For 
groups  and  in-door  work  use  a large  dia- 
phram. With  ordinary  dry  plates  in  out- 
door work  from  one  to  three  seconds  is  a 
long  enough  exposure,  depending  upon  the 
brightness  of  the  day  and  the  color  of  the 
object  photographed.  Always  time  your 
exposure  for  the  dark  places  in  a view ; let 
the  light  ones  take  care  of  themselves. 
No  definite  rule  can  be  laid  down  in  regard 
to  time  for  exposure,  the  best  way  being 
for  the  operator  to  note  time  and  condi- 
tions and  follow  his  judgment  after  he  has 
had  some  experience.  In  developing  it  is 


IS 


much  easier  to  take  care  of  over-exposed 
plates  than  under-exposed  ones.  Do  not 
leave  your  plate  holders  exposed  to  the 
rays  of  the  sun ; keep  them  covered  with 
your  focusing  cloth,  or  have  a bag  made  of 
some  dark,  thick  cloth,  to  hold  them.  In 
fact,  it  is  not  well  to  have  any  of  the  ap- 
paratus exposed  to  the  sun’s  rays  longer 
than  is  absolutely  necessary.  Quick  plates 
and  films  used  in  such  cameras  as  the 
Hawkeye,  Kodak,  Premier  and  the  De- 
tective give  very  good  results  if  such 
plates  and  films  are  fresh  and  are  properly 
exposed  and  developed.  The  writer  has 
secured  some  very  good  landscape  views 
with  a Hawkeye  camera  from  a moving 
train,  running  at  the  rate  of  thirty  miles 
an  hour.  The  view  may  be  brought  into 
the  right  position  by  using  the  finder  on 
these  cameras. 


i6 


Groups  are  to  be  placed  in  the  shade,  or 
taken  on  a cloudy  day.  Select  a good 
background  (the  writer  prefers  foliage) 
and  place  your  group  some  ten  or  fif- 
teen feet  in  front  of  it.  Most  amateurs 
place  them  too  near  the  background, 
which  gives  a fiat  appearance  to  the  pic- 
ture. Arrange  them  in  a natural  position  ; 
do  not  get  them  too  set.  Do  not  have  their 
hands  forward,  for  if  they  come  nearer 
the  camera  than  the  body  they  will  be  dis- 
proportionally  large  in  the  picture.  Use  a 
tripod  when  possible,  even  with  a hand  cam- 
era, in  taking  time  pictures.  Never  take  a 
view  with  the  camera  facing  the  sun ; have 
the  light  come  from  behind  or  from  the 
side.  Shade  the  lens  if  necessary;  do  not 
let  the  sun  shine  on  it.  In  taking  land- 
scapes good  results  may  be  obtained  by 
making  a cone  of  pasteboard,  about  a foot 


i7 


long,  and  fitting  it  over  the  lens  in  such  a 
way  as  to  shade  it.  See  figure  2. 

Care  must  be  taken  not  to  move  the 
camera  after  focusing,  or  to  jar  it  during 
exposure;  a jar  will  blur  the  picture  and  a 
small  movement  will  bring  it  out  of  focus. 


A good  rule  to  follow  in  time  exposures 
is  as  follows: — Place  the  camera  in  posi- 
tion ; pull  off  cap  from  the  lens  and  focus 
on  the  ground  glass  ; put  cap  back,  then 
fit  plate  holder  containing  plate  in  place, 
being  careful  not  to  move  the  camera;  pull 


i8 


out  slide,  take  off  cap  and  expose ; put  cap 
back ; push  in  slide  ; take  out  plate  holder 
and  cover  it  with  the  focusing  cloth  to 
prevent  any  light  getting  to  the  plate  and 
fogging  it. 

With  interior  views  where  the  light  is 
weak,  so  that  the  view  does  not  appear 
plainly  on  the  ground  glass  it  can  be  made 
to  appear  more  plainly  by  rubbing  a little 
oil  or  grease  on  the  ground  glass.  Glyc- 
erine is  preferable. 

In  taking  buildings,  do  not  take  them 
full  front  elevation.  Take  them  corner- 
ways,  showing  two  sides.  [See  front- 
ispiece]. Full  front  views  will  be  dis- 
torted. Tall  buildings,  taken  from  the 
ground,  are  apt  to  be  distorted,  the  tops 
being  farther  away  from  the  camera  are 
consequently  out  of  focus.  This  may  be 
remedied  by  the  operator  getting  upon  the 
roof  of  a lower  building,  or  in  a window  of 


i9 


some  building  near  the  one  to  be  photo- 
graphed. See  figure  3.  This  brings  all 
parts  of  the  building  at  about  the  same 
distance  from  the  camera. 

Care  should  be  taken  to  have  the  camera 
perfectly  level  and  have  image  appear 
straight  on  the  ground  glass.  A cross  -|- 
drawn  in  the  centre  of  the  ground  glass 
will  aid  one  in  straightening  the  image. 
The  best  time  for  exposures  is  from  10  A. 
M.  to  3 P.  M.  in  summer  and  n A.  M.  to 
2 P.  M.  in  the  winter.  The  color  of  objects 
must  be  taken  into  consideration  in  expo- 
sure; whites  and  blues  are  rapid,  while 
reds,  browns  and  blacks  are  slower. 

Flash  Light  views  may  be  taken  by  the 
use  of  Magnesium  powder.  Instantaneous 
exposure  is  made  by  setting  fire  to  the 
powder.  The  flash  light  should  be  placed 
in  such  a position  that  it  will  not  reflect 


20 


Figure  3. 


21 


into  the  lens  : a little  behind  and  above 
the  camera  is  the  best  position  for  it. 
The  focusing  must  be  done  by  what  gas 
light  or  lamp  light  there  is  in  the  room. 

Views  may  be  taken  from  the  strong 
light  of  an  electric  arc  lamp,  but  requires 
a longer  exposure  than  by  sunlight. 

Photographs  of  Lightning  may  be  made 
by  simply  setting  up  the  camera  at  night 
with  the  lens  pointing  toward  that  portion 
of  the  sky  from  which  the  lightning  ap- 
pears. In  regard  to  focus  the  operator 
must  use  his  judgment  — usually  setting 
the  camera  at  full  focal  length.  After  the 
camera  is  in  position  draw  the  slide,  re- 
move the  cap  and  wait  for  the  flash.  No 
harm  will  come  to  the  plate  as  it  is  dark. 
After  the  flash  replace  the  cap,  close  the 
slide  and  the  plate  is  ready  to  develop. 
No  shutter  is  to  be  used.  Your  first  or 


22 


second  picture  may  not  be  a success,  but 
with  a little  practice  you  will  improve 
wonderfully,  besides  finding  it  a very  inter- 
esting study. 

Ferrotypes  are  exposed  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  a negative.  The  film  is  spread 
upon  a thin  sheet  of  tin.  They  are  best 
adapted  to  portraits.  The  process  of  de- 
velopment differs  from  the  common  nega- 
tive, which  is  explained  in  the  chapter  on 
development. 


23 


CHAPTER  II. 

DEVELOPMENT. 

The  Development  of  a negative  is  the 
most  interesting  part  of  the  art.  At  first 
faint  outlines  appear  under  the  influence 
of  the  developer,  and  as  each  object  ap- 
pears upon  the  plate  one  is  almost  amazed 
at  the  wonderful  change  that  is  taking 
place  there. 

There  are  many  kinds  of  developers  in 
the  market,  both  in  solution  and  in  a con- 
centrated form.  Some  manufacturers  make 
one-solution  developers  and  others  make 
two-solution  developers.  The  writer  pre- 
fers a two-solution  developer,  as  the  detail 
or  contrast  on  a plate  may  be  regulated 
much  better  with  such  a developer.  Each 
manufacturer  of  dry  plates  usually  has  a 


24 


formula  for  developer  to  be  used  for  devel- 
oping plates  of  their  manufacture.  At  the 
end  of  this  chapter  will  be  found  formulae 
of  developing  solutions  recommended  by 
different  makers  of  plates.  Among  the 
different  kinds  of  developing  solutions  the 
author  prefers  the  Hydrochinon  developer, 
or  the  Pyrogallic  acid  developer.  As  the 
*Pyro.  developer  is  liable  to  stain  the  plate 
the  Hydrochinon  developer  is  the  most 
desirable  of  the  two  for  the  general  use  of 
the  amateur.  A good  two-solution  Pyro 
developer  may  be  made  as  follows : 


PYRO  DEVELOPER. 


Pyrogallic  acid, 
Sulphite  soda, 
W ater, 


240  grains.  ) 

2\  ounces.  > No.  1. 
8 ounces.  ; 


Carbonate  of  soda,  2 ounces.  ) 

Water,  8 ounces.  ) 


To  develop  use  equal  parts  of  No.  1 
and  No.  2 ; dilute  with  four  times  the  bulk 


* (Pyro.)  Pyrogallic  acid. 


25 

of  water.  Use  a little  more  water  in  warm 
weather  than  in  cold. 

HYDROCHINON  DEVELOPER. 


Hydrochinon, 

480  grains.  ) 

Sulphite  soda, 

3 ounces.  / No.  i. 

Water, 

48  ounces.  3 

Carbonate  of  soda, 
Water, 

3 ounces.  1 N 2 
48  ounces.  ) 

For  normal  exposures  use  equal  parts  of 
No.  i and  No.  2.  For  more  contrast,  in- 
crease the  amount  of  No.  1 ; for  less  con- 
trast, use  more  of  No.  2. 

The  Fixing  Bath  is  used  to  fix  the  plate 
after  development.  This  may  be  prepared 
in  the  following  manner: — Make  a satu- 
rated solution  of  pure  water  and  Hyposul- 
phite of  soda.  This  may  be  put  into  a 
large  bottle,  which  should  be  kept  well 
corked  and  in  a dark  place,  when  not  in 
use.  When  using,  weaken  by  adding  one- 
half  water. 


26 


Having  prepared  either  of  the  above 
developing  solutions  and  the  fixing  bath, 
we  are  ready  to  develop  the  plate.  This 
must  be  done  in  a dark  room.  The  only 
light  to  be  used  is  the  one  from  the  ruby 
lantern.  Be  sure  and  close  the  door  of  the 
dark  room  before  taking  out  the  plate  for 
development.  Use  two  trays  : one  for  the 
developer  and  one  for  the  fixing  bath.  Be 
careful  not  to  get  any  of  the  (*Hypo.)  solu- 
tion into  the  developer,  and  never  use  the 
same  tray  for  fixing  that  you  do  for  devel- 
oping. If  you  get  your  fingers  wet  with 
the  hypo,  wash  them  before  putting  them 
into  the  developer,  as  the  least  bit  of  hypo, 
will  spoil  it.  Have  your  developer  ready 
in  the  graduating  glass  before  closing  the 
door  of  your  dark  room.  Proceed  to  de- 
velop as  follows:  — Take  out  your  plate, 
being  careful  not  to  scratch  it  with  your 


* (Hypo.)  Hyposulphite  of  soda. 


27 


fingers,  and  brush  off  the  dust  with  a fine 
camel’s  hair  brush  ; lay  it  in  the  tray,  film 
side  up ; with  one  sweep  flow  the  develop- 
ing solution  over  it  and  rock  the  tray 
gently — just  enough  to  keep  the  developer 
flowing  over  it  in  gentle  waves.  Develop 
until  the  picture  comes  out  and  fades 
nearly  away,  or  until  the  outlines  can  be 
plainly  seen  on  the  back  of  the  plate. 
Most  amateurs  do  not  develop  long  enough, 
which  results  in  a thin  negative.  On  the 
other  hand  do  not  develop  too  long  for  if  you 
do  your  negative  will  be  too  dense  or  foggy. 
A little  practice  will  enable  you  to  produce 
good  negatives.  The  operation  of  develop- 
ment requires  only  a few  minutes.  When 
the  plate  is  fully  developed  wash  it  care- 
fully in  clean  water  and  place  it  in  the  fixing 
bath,  film  side  up;  rock  this  tray  the  same 
as  in  development,  and  leave  it  in  this  bath 
one  or  two  minutes  after  the  opaque  yel- 


28 


lowness  seen  from  the  back  of  the  nega- 
tive has  entirely  disappeared,  after  which 
it  should  be  taken  out  and  thoroughly 
washed  in  clean  running  water  for  half  an 
hour.  This  is  to  get  the  hypo.  out.  After 
fixing,  the  plate  is  no  longer  sensitive  and 
it  may  be  exposed  to  the  light ; in  fact,  a 
little  light  will  not  hurt  it  after  it  has  been 
in  the  fixing  bath  a minute  or  two,  but  the 
writer  prefers  not  to  expose  it  to  the  light 
until  it  is  fixed,  as  there  is  some  danger  of 
fogging.  After  the  negative  is  thoroughly 
washed  it  must  be  dried;  not  by  heat,  but 
in  a cool  place,  away  from  the  sun.  A hot 
sun  or  any  extreme  heat  will  melt  the  film, 
which  will  spoil  the  picture.  If  you  use 
pyro.  developer  and  the  plate  is  stained,  it 
may  be  removed  by  immersion  in  a satu- 
rated solution  of  alum  for  a few  minutes 
after  fixing  and  washing.  It  should  then 
be  washed  thoroughly  again  to  remove  the 


29 


alum.  In  developing  use  enough  developer 
at  a time  to  cover  the  plate  in  the  tray.  If 
you  have  several  plates  to  develop,  have 
your  tray  about  one-third  full ; this  should 
develop  about  three  or  four  plates,  after 
which  use  a new  portion  of  developer. 
The  same  rule  may  apply  to  the  fixing 
solution.  The  hypo,  should  never  be  used 
after  it  has  turned  brown  or  dark.  Some 
amateurs  prefer  to  use  new  developer  and 
new  hypo,  solution  for  each  plate,  but  the 
writer  has  found  it  much  better  to  develop 
three  or  four  plates  in  the  same  solution, 
sometimes  adding  a little  new,  as  the  case 
may  require.  After  the  first  or  second 
plate  has  been  developed  the  developer 
will  work  slower,  but  it  will  produce  softer 
negatives.  Do  not  let  the  development 
proceed  too  fast ; check  it  by  adding  a little 
water  to  the  developer.  Quick  develop- 
ment is  apt  to  make  a hard  negative.  In 


30 


hot  weather  have  the  water  and  all  the 
solutions  as  cold  as  possible.  It  is  better 
to  immerse  the  plate  in  clean,  cool  water 
for  a moment  or  two  before  developing; 
it  will  cause  the  developer  to  flow  over  the 
plate  more  evenly.  After  a two-solution 
developer  has  been  mixed  it  must  be  used, 
as  it  will  not  keep  but  a short  time. 

Under  Exposure . — When  a plate  is  un - 
der-exposed  it  will  develop  very  slowly  — 
with  strong  contrasts,  but  with  little  detail. 
In  such  a case  increase  the  quantity  of 
alkali  solution.  Under-exposed  plates  may 
sometimes  be  saved  by  adding  to  the  de- 
veloping solution  three  or  four  times  the 
same  quantity  of  pure  water  and  allowing 
the  plate  to  stand  in  it  for  one  or  two 
hours. 

Over  Exposure.  — On  an  over  exposed 
plate  the  picture  flashes  into  view  at  once, 


3i 


when  the  developer  is  applied,  though  with- 
out any  distinct  outlines,  and  as  suddenly 
disappears.  It  may  sometimes  be  saved  by 
adding  to  the  developer  a grain  or  two  of 
Bromide  Ammonia.  Weakening  the  de- 
veloper with  pure  water  will  sometimes 
save  the  negative.  Use  more  of  the  acid 
portion  of  the  developer  than  the  alkali  for 
over  exposed  plates. 

Intensification.  — A weak  negative  may 
sometimes  be  intensified  (made  stronger) 
by  the  following  method:  — Put  enough 
intensifying  solution  in  a tray  to  cover  the 
negative,  which  must  only  be  used  for  this 
purpose.  Place  the  plate  in  this  solution, 
taking  care  that  the  surface  is  covered 
quickly.  Leave  it  long  enough  for  the 
film  to  attain  an  olive  green  color,  after 
which  it  must  be  taken  out  and  thoroughly 
washed  in  clean  zvater.  If  the  intensifier 


32 


is  not  properly  washed  out  of  the  negative 
the  picture  will  entirely  disappear  in  a 
short  time.  After  the  negative  is  washed 
it  must  be  dried  as  before.  A negative 
may  be  intensified  either  at  once,  after  it 
is  fixed  and  washed,  or  at  any  future  time, 
as  the  amateur  may  desire.  The  intensi- 
fying solution  is  a poison , and  the  reader 
is  cautioned  to  handle  it  carefully  and  not 
put  the  fingers  near  the  mouth  without 
first  washing  his  hands.  Also  label  the 
bottle  containing  it  “ poison.”  A good  in- 
tensifying solution  may  be  made  by  the 
formula  given  below:  — 

INTENSIFIED 

Bi-chloride  of  mercury,  30  grains.  / l 
Water,  3 ounces.  ) 

Iodide  Potassium,  45  grains.  ) 2 

Water,  1 ounce.  ( 

Hyposulphite  of  soda,  60  grains.  / ^ 

Water,  1 ounce.  ) ' 

When  the  chemicals  are  dissolved  pour 
No.  2 into  No.  1 and  the  solution  will  as- 


33 


sume  a bright  red.  Shake  well  and  add 
No.  3,  and  the  solution  will  become  clear 
and  is  ready  for  use. 


I Frilling . — In  hot  weather  the  film  of  a 
plate  may  sometimes  peel  off,  or  frill . 
This  may  be  remedied  by  adding  a small 
quantity  of  alum  to  the  fixing  bath  and 
using  very  cold  water. 

"formulae  for  developing  solutions. 

*EIKONOGEN  DEVELOPER. 

Sulphite  of  soda  (crystals),  3 oz.  ) 

Hot  water,  45  ounces.  ! 

Thoroughly  dissolve,  then  add  : f 

Eikonogen,  1 ounce.  J 

Sal  soda,  1 ounce.  ) 

(Or  carbonate  of  potassium,  1 \ oz)  1 No.  2. 

Water,  15  ounces.  ) 

To  develop  use  three  ounces  of  No.  1 
and  one  ounce  of  No.  2.  If  more  con- 
! trast  is  wanted  increase  the  amount  of 
No.  1 ; if  less,  more  of  No.  2.  To  thor- 


*M.  A.  Seed  Dry  Plate  Co. 


34 


oughly  dissolve  Eikonogen  use  hot  water 
and  shake  the  solution  at  least  ten  minutes 
after  it  is  apparently  dissolved  to  prevent 
re-crystallization. 

HYDROCHINON  DEVELOPER. 

Hydrochinon,  15  grains.  ) M 

Water,  1 ounce.  J iNO’  ‘ 

Carbonate  of  soda  ) 

crystals  C.  P.,  30  grains.  > No.  2. 

Water,  1 ounce.  ) 

For  normal  development  use  equal  parts 
of  No.  1 and  No.  2. 

*HYDROCHINION  DEVELOPER  FOR  LANTERN  SLIDES. 

Hydrochinon,  160  grains.  ) 

Sodium  sulphite,  2 ounces,  j 

Nitric  acid  60  grains.  J*No.  1. 

Potassium  bromide,  30  grains.  | 

Water  to  make  up  to,  20  ounces.  J 

Sodium  hydrate,  160  grains.  ) 2 

Water,  20  ounces,  j 

Equal  parts  of  the  two  solutions  form 
the  stock  developer.  For  use  take  equal 
parts  of  this  solution  and  water. 


*Mr.  Beal  in  American  Journal  of  Photography. 


35 


ft  The  picture  should  come  up  quickly  and 
•'  perfect  in  details,  with  full  density  in 
shadows. 

ONE -SOLUTION  HYDROCHINON  DEVELOPER. 

Hydrochinon,  $ ounce. 

Sulphite  of  soda.  J ounce. 

Meta  bi-sulphite  of  potash,  | ounce. 

Carbonate  of  potash,  \ ounce. 

Water,  16  ounces. 

For  over-exposed  plates  dilute  with  water 
when  using. 

*IRON  DEVELOPER. 

Critric  acid,  120  grains.  ) 

Ammonia  (carbonate),  88  grains.  > No.  1. 

Cold  distilled  water,  1 ounce.  ; 


Make  over  night.  In  mixing  place  the 
crystals  of  the  salts  in  a deep  vessel,  add 
the  water  and  leave  until  all  effervescence 
ceases. 

Sulphate  of  iron,  140  grains.  ) 

Sulphuric  acid,  1 drop.  > No.  2. 

Distilled  water,  1 ounce.  ; 

Use  three  parts  of  No.  1 and  one  part 
of  No.  2. 


^Brooklyn  Camera  Co.  developer. 


36 


fPYRO,  DEVELOPER. 

Pyrogallic  acid,  30  grains.  ) 

Sulphuric  acid,  C.  P.,  3 drops.  > No.  1. 

Water,  4 ounces.  ) 

Sulphite  of  soda  (crystals),  360  gr.  j 
Carbonate  of  soda  “ 240gr.  > No.  2. 

Water,  4 ounces.  ) 

For  normal  development  use  one-half  of 
No.  1,  one-half  of  No.  2 and  add  one 
ounce  of  water. 

cramer’s  one -solution  developer  — stock  solu- 


Finally  strongest  aqua  ammonia,  3 FI.  oz. 

Add  water  to  make  up  bulk  to  40  FI.  oz. 

Measure  the  sulphuric  acid  and  aqua 
ammonia  very  exactly,  and  keep  the  latter 
in  a cool  place.  For  use  dilute  as  follows: 
For  normal  exposure,  one  ounce  to  eleven 
ounces  of  water.  For  instantaneous,  use 


TION. 


Sulphite  of  soda  (crystals), 
Bromide  of  ammonium, 
Bromide  of  potassium, 
Pyrogallic  acid, 

Dissolve  thoroughly  in  distilled 


3 troy  oz. 
J troy  oz. 
ij  troy  oz. 
2 troy  oz. 


water, 

Add  sulphuric  acid  C.  P., 


32  FI.  oz. 
20  min. 


t Scientific  American  Encyclopedia. 


37 


one  ounce  to  three  or  six  ounces  of  water. 
For  over  exposed  plates,  one  to  twenty 
ounces.  Fix  in  alum  and  hypo.  bath. 

Ferrotypes  are  developed  as  follows : 
Develop  same  as  a negative  with  a good 
ferrotype  developer,  then  wash  in  clean 
water  and  place  in  fixing  bath  until  plate 
becomes  positive.  Dry  quickly  by  heat 
over  a lamp  or  stove,  being  careful  not  to 
get  the  plate  too  hot  and  melt  the  film. 
Do  not  develop  too  long.  The  plate,  when 
fully  developed,  should  appear  like  an  un- 
timed negative,  with  little  or  no  detail. 


This  developer  is  to  be  used  on  a potas- 
sium collodion  emulsion. 

^Messrs.  Spiller  & Cook’s  formula. 


^FERROTYPE  DEVELOPER. 


Water, 

Sulphite  of  iron, 
Salt  petre, 

Acetic  acid  No.  8, 
Nitric  acid, 


i ounce. 
14  grains. 
10  grains. 


30  min. 
2 min. 


38 


CHAPTER  III. 

PRINTING,  TONING  AND  MOUNTING. 

Printing . — After  a negative  is  perfectly 
dry  place  it  in  a printing  frame  (be  sure 
and  have  a good  printing  frame),  film  side 
up.  On  the  negative  place  a piece  of  sen- 
sitized paper,  face  side  down  against  the 
film  side  of  the  negative.  Fasten  securely 
the  plate  and  paper  in  the  frame  and  places 
in  the  sun  to  print.  Examine  the  print 
occasionally  to  see  how  it  is  progressing, 
being  careful  not  to  displace  it.  Print  a 
shade  darker  than  you  wish  it  to  be  when 
finished,  as  the  toning  and  fixing  bleaches 
it  somewhat.  When  printed,  put  it  away 
in  the  dark  until  you  are  ready  to  tone  it. 
Always  keep  the  sensitized  paper  covered 
in  a dark  and  dry  place  when  not  using. 


39 


This  work  may  be  done  in  a moderately 
light  room,  as  the  sensitized  paper  is  not 
so  sensitive  as  a dry  plate. 

Toning . — Omega  paper  may  be  toned  as 
follows  : — Print  in  direct  sunlight,  cover- 
ing thin  negatives  with  tissue  paper,  allow- 
ing the  print  to  get  much  darker  than  the 
finished  picture  should  be.  After  printing 
immerse,  without  previously  washing,  in 
the  following  toning  and  fixing  bath,  until 
the  desired  tone  is  obtained: 

* Toning  and  Fixing  Bath.- — Stock  solu- 
tion— Water,  eighty  ounces;  hypo.,  eight 
ounces ; powdered  alum,  eight  ounces. 
Let  this  mixture  stand  in  the  dark  to  clear 
and  decant.  For  toning  about  sixteen  cab- 
inets take  eight  ounces  of  this  stock  solu- 
tion, and  add  to  it  sixty  grains  of  common 
salt,  one  grain  of  chloride  of  gold,  dis- 


^Direction  by  the  Hopkins  Co. 


40 


solved  in  one-half  ounce  of  water,  and  five 
grains  of  nitrate  of  lead,  dissolved  in  one 
ounce  of  water,  shaking  well  after  each 
addition.  This  stock  solution  should  be 
put  up  in  a larger  quantity.  The  bath 
may  be  mixed  and  kept  in  large  quantities 
if  kept  in  the  dark  until  used.  It  improves 
with  age  and  acts  quicker.  Decant  and 
filter  for  use.  After  each  print  is  toned 
and  fixed  place  it  in  a strong  solution  of 
common  salt  in  water,  for  five  minutes, 
and  then  wash  for  one  hour  in  running 
water.  They  are  then  treated  like  albumen 
or  aristo  prints,  mounted  and  burnished,  | 
or  squeegeed  face  down  on  a ferrotype 
plate,  thus  obtaining  a glace  finish. 

A good  toning  solution  may  be  made 
♦ , 
from  the  following  formula:  — 

Chloride  of  gold,  15  grains. 

Acetate  of  soda,  1 ounce. 

Water,  15  ounces. 

This  toner  should  stand  twenty-four 


41 


hours  before  using.  Use  as  follows: — For 
every  sixteen  4x5  prints  take  one  ounce 
of  the  above  solution  and  dilute  with  seven 
ounces  of  water.  Fix  in  fixing  bath. 

Hyposulphite  of  soda,  2 ounces. 

Water,  10  ounces. 

Fix  for  about  twenty  minutes. 

TONING  SOLUTION  FOR  SENSITIZED  OR  ARISTOTYPE 
PAPER. 

Powdered  borax,  120  grains.  ) 

Water,  16  ounces,  j 

Chloride  of  gold  and  sodium,  30  gr.  { ^ 

Water,  16  ounces,  j 

Lay  prints,  one  at  a time,  face  down,  in 
a tray  of  clean  water,  allowing  them  to 
soak  for  five  minutes;  remove  one  at  a 
time,  beginning  with  the  bottom  print; 
change  the  water  several  times  until  it  re- 
mains clear.  Now  pour  into  the  toning 
tray  solution  a,  (taking  care  not  to  stir  the 
sediment  and  letting  it  remain  in  the  bot- 
tle;) add  one  dram  of  solution  b.  Lay  the 


43 


prints  in  face  down,  one  at  a time,  the 
same  as  you  did  in  the  water.  Keep  them 
in  motion  by  taking  the  under  one  and 
placing  it  on  top  until  the  desired  color  is 
obtained,  after  which  place  them  in  a dish 
of  clean  water.  Fix  and  wash  for  one-half 
hour  in  several  changes  of  water.  When 
through  pour  the  used  toning  solution 
back  into  bottle  # ; shake  well  and  let  it 
stand  to  settle,  when  it  is  ready  to  use  as 
before,  adding  one  dram  of  bottle  b to  each 
batch  of  prints.  The  bath  may  assume  a 
purple  color  after  using,  but  this  will  not 
prevent  its  working.  Keep  all  toning  solu- 
tions in  the  dark  when  not  in  use. 


This  is  a very  good  toning  solution, 
giving  a purplish  color. 


TONING  SOLUTION. 


Gold  chloride, 
Phosphate  of  soda, 
Water, 


20  grains. 
2 ounces. 


i grain. 


44 


COMBINED  TONING  AND  FIXING  SOLUTION  FOR 
ARISTOTYPE  AND  OMEGA  PAPER. 


Water, 

Hyposulphite  of  soda, 
Chloride  of  gold, 
Nitrate  of  lead  (C.  P.) 


32  ounces. 
8 ounces. 
15  grains. 
75  grains. 


Always  wash  aristotype  paper  in  several 
changes  of  water  before  toning.  Prints, 
after  being  toned,  should  be  placed  in  a 
strong  solution  of  common  salt  and  water 
for  five  minutes,  then  washed  one  hour. 

After  omega  or  aristotype  paper  prints 
are  toned,  fixed  and  thoroughly  washed 
they  may  be  polished  by  placing  them, 
while  wet,  on  a ferrotype  plate  or  glass 
and  squeegeed  down,  after  which  they  are 
allowed  to  dry,  the  result  being  a fine  pol- 
ish. Be  sure  and  have  the  ferrotype  or 
glass  very  clean,  as  the  print  will  be  liable 
to  stick  on  a dirty  plate.  Prints  should  be 
trimmed  after  they  are  polished;  a piece 


45 


of  glass,  the  right  size,  laid  over  the  print, 
will  enable  one  to  see  how  much  to  trim 
off. 

Mounting . — After  prints  are  polished 
and  trimmed  they  are  ready  for  mounting. 
This  is  done  on  mounts  or  cardboard  in  the 
following  manner: — Lay  the  prints,  face 
down,  on  a smooth  table,  or  piece  of  glass. 
Take  a small  paste  brush  made  for  this 
purpose  and  apply  the  paste  lightly  and 
evenly  to  the  back  of  the  print.  Now  lift 
the  print  carefully  and  place  it  evenly  on 
the  mount;  over  it  lay  a piece  of  clean 
paper  and  with  a squeegee  press  the  print 
on  to  the  mount.  It  may  be  done  with  the 
hands,  but  it  is  much  better  to  use  a 
squeegee. 

Albumen  prints  are  to  be  polished  with 
a burnisher,  or  not  polished  at  all.  They 
should  be  mounted  wet.  First,  place  them 
face  down  on  a table  and  apply  clean  blot- 


46 


ting  paper  to  the  back,  then  apply  the  coat 
of  paste  and  mount,  using  blotting  paper 
and  the  squeegee,  or  the  hands.  Burnish 
when  dry.  Photographs  look  best  with 
considerable  margin  ; have  your  mounts 
large  enough  to  leave  this  margin  on  the 
outside  edges  of  the  card,  after  the  print 
is  mounted. 

Blue  Prints  are  printed  the  same  as 
omega  or  aristotype  paper.  Print  until 
the  dark  shades  are  a dark  bronze,  then 
finish  up  by  washing  in  three  or  four 
changes  of  warm  (not  hot)  water  ; mount 
on  cards.  Blue  prints  are  very  pretty 
and  are  much  easier  for  the  amateur  to 
work  than  silver,  omega,  or  aristotype  pa- 
per. 

If  you  do  not  wish  to  mount  prints 
immediately  after  printing  and  toning  they 
should  be  washed  and  dried  and  laid 


47 


away  until  such  time  as  you  wish  to  mount 
them,  when  they  should  be  placed  into 
clean  water  and  mounted  while  damp,  after 
being  partially  dried  with  blotting  paper, 
or,  if  polished  on  ferrotype  plate  or  glass, 
they  must  be  mounted  dry. 

Paste  for  Mounting . — A good  paste  for 
mounting  prints  may  be  made  as  follows  : 
— Take  one  ounce  of  starch  and  eight 
ounces  of  water.  Mix  and  heat  over  boil- 
ing water  until  turned  ; to  this  add  one- 
half  ounce  of  glycerine.  This  paste  will 
keep  about  ten  days  in  summer  and  for  a 
much  longer  time  in  winter.  Keep  it  from 
the  air  when  not  using. 

*A  paste  which  will  keep  indefinitely 
may  be  made  by  the  following  formula: — 

Arrow  root,  io  parts. 

Water,  ioo  parts. 

Gelatine,  i part. 

Alcohol,  io  parts. 


^Scientific  American  Encyclopedia. 


48 


Soak  the  gelatine  in  water,  add  the  arrow 
root,  which  has  first  been  thoroughly  mixed 
with  a small  quantity  of  water,  and  boil 
four  or  five  minutes.  After  cooling  add 
the  alcohol  and  few  drops  of  carbolic  acid, 
or  oil  of  cloves.  Keep  from  the  air  when 
not  in  use. 

Vignetting . — Sometimes  one  may  desire 
to  cut  out  or  print  only  part  of  the  nega- 
tive ; frequently  this  may  be  done  with 
very  pretty  effect.  To  do  this  it  is  neces- 
sary to  have  a vignetter.  There  are  vari- 
ous ways  of  making  them  ; one  of  the 
simplest  is  to  take  a piece  of  card  board 
the  size  of  your  printing  frame  and  cut  in 
it  a round  or  oval-shaped  hole  large  enough 
to  print  what  you  wish  of  the  negative, 
then  cut  slots  all  the  way  round  the  inside 
aperture  about  one  inch  deep  and  one- 
fourth  of  an  inch  apart — see  figure  4. 


49 


Over  this  aperture  paste  one  or  more 
pieces  of  white  or  light  blue  tissue  paper. 
This  little  piece  of  apparatus  will  print 
the  picture  the  shape  of  your  aperture, 


and  the  light  entering  through  the  teeth- 
like slots  and  tissue  paper  will  diffuse  itself 
in  such  a manner  that  the  edges  of  the 
print  will  not  be  too  abrupt. 


So 


Cut  Outs. — A very  pretty  effect  can  be 
made  by  taking  a piece  of  non-actinic  pa- 
per (thick,  black  paper  is  a good  kind,)  the 
same  size  as  the  negative;  cut  in  it  an 
aperture  of  any  size  or  shape  desired; 
place  this  in  the  printing  frame,  between 
the  negative  and  the  sensitized  paper. 
The  print  will  be  the  size  and  shape  of  the 
aperture,  leaving  the  border  quite  white. 

Another  effect  may  be  made  by  cutting 
the  non-actinic  paper  into  any  shape  you 
desire  and  placing  it  between  a piece  of 
clear  glass  and  the  sensitized  paper,  in  the 
printing  frame ; print  until  the  exposed 
paper  is  a deep  brown.  Remove  the  ac- 
tinic paper  and  print  with  negative  as  usual, 
the  result  being  a brown  border. 

Transparencies . — These  may  be  made  by 
printing  from  one  negative  on  a slow,  dry 
plate.  Place  a negative  in  the  printing 


5i 


frame  (in  the  dark  room)  and  on  this  lay 
an  unexposed  dry  plate,  same  as  you  would 
sensitized  paper,  the  film  of  each  being  in 
contact.  Expose  to  an  artificial  light  (a 
gas  or  lamp  flame)  for  from  two  to  ten  sec- 
onds. Hold  the  printing  frame  facing  the 
light  about  two  feet  away  from  a gas  light, 
or  one  foot  away  from  a lamp  light.  De- 
velop with  hydrochinon  developer  the 
same  as  you  would  any  negative.  A pyro. 
developer  is  not  so  good,  as  it  will  stain 
the  plate  and  will  require  a bath  in  a solu- 
tion of  alum  to  clear  it.  After  the  trans- 
parence is  dry  secure  it  in  a frame  with 
ground  glass  at  the  back,  for  a mat  and 
hang  it  in  the  window. 

Manufacturers  of  dry  plates  make  special 
dry  plates  for  transparencies,  which  the 
writer  would  recommend  the  reader  to  use. 
Always  use  a slow  plate  for  transparencies. 


52 


Lantern  Slides. — These  may  be  made  in 
the  same  manner  as  above,  substituting 
for  the  ground  glass  a piece  of  clear  glass 
and  sealing  the  negative  and  glass  together 
by  means  of  a border  of  black  needle  paper. 


Bromide  Paper. — This  paper  is  extreme- 
ly sensitive  and  must  be  handled  in  a dark 
room  only.  It  is  placed  in  a printing  frame 
with  the  negative  the  same  as  the  ordinary 
sensitized  paper  and  printed  with  an  arti- 
ficial light,  such  as  gas  light  or  lamp  light. 
Time  of  exposure  from  ten  to  twenty  sec- 
onds. The  print  is  not  visible  and  must 
be  developed  similar  to  a negative.  To 
develop  bromide  paper  use  the  following 
formula : 


*Eikonogen, 

Sodium  sulphite 
Potassium  carbonate, 
Distilled  water, 
Glycerine, 


l ounce. 
I ounce, 
ounce. 
32  ounces. 
J ounce. 


*Allen  & Rowell  Co.’s  formula. 


53 


Manufacturers  of  bromide  paper  send 
explicit  direction  for  working  it  with  each 
package  and  the  reader  will  do  well  to  fol- 
low such  directions. 


54 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CONCLUSION. 

We  have  shown  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ters how  to  take  and  finish  a photograph. 
If  the  reader  will  follow  the  directions 
given  we  have  no  doubt  but,  with  a little 
practice  he  will  be  able  to  turn  out  work 
which  he  will  be  proud  of.  Do  not  become 
discouraged  because  your  first  two  or  three 
pictures  are  not  what  you  wish  for,  or 
by  an  occasional  failure.  Remember  that 
“practice  makes  perfect  ” and  you  will  surely 
succeed.  Do  not  buy  an  inferior  camera; 
you  cannot  expect  good  work  from  poor 
apparatus.  The  same  rule  applies  to  plates 
and  other  materials.  In  most  cases  it  is 
better  and  cheaper  to  buy  your  developer, 
toning  solution,  plates  and  all  supplies 


55 


than  to  try  and  make  them.  There  is  in 
most  cities  a store  where  photographic 
supplies  may  be  purchased.  If  not,  you 
can  order  by  mail  from  any  of  the  numer- 
ous photo. -supply  dealers,  which  you  will 
see  advertised  in  the  leading  newspapers 
and  magazines. 

Sometimes  it  is  desirable  to  write  titles 
on  views.  This  may  be  done  on  the  neg- 
atives with  India  ink,  but  must  be  writ- 
ten backwards.  If  you  have  only  a few 
prints  to  do  from  each  negative  another 
method  may  be  employed.  Write  with  a 
smooth  pen  on  the  albumen  surface  of  the 
paper,  using  a thick  solution  of  India 
ink  and  allow  it  to  dry  before  printing. 
Wash  it  off,  before  toning,  with  a wet 
sponge  and  it  will  leave  the  lettering  in 
white.  Of  course,  it  is  understood  that 
in  this  case  you  are  not  to  write  back- 
wards. 


56 


Sometimes  a valuable  negative  may  get 
cracked.  To  make  a print  from  it,  place 
the  negative  and  sensitized  paper  in  the 
printing  frame  as  usual,  and  place  them  at 
the  bottom  of  a narrow  box,  about  two  feet 
deep,  with  the  interior  painted  black  ; put 
a sheet  of  tissue  paper  over  the  printing 
frame  and  print  with  the  sunlight.  An- 
other way  is  to  hang  the  printing  frame  in 
the  sun  by  a twisted  string  and  keep  it 
whirling  while  printing. 

If  you  desire  to  photograph  machinery, 
have  the  background  exactly  opposite  in 
color  than  the  machine — if  the  machine  is 
dark,  have  the  background  light  ; if  the 
machine  is  light  have  the  background 
dark. 

Do  not  use  metal  trays  for  toning,  de- 
veloping, fixing  or  washing.  Those  made 
of  hard  rubber  are  preferable. 

To  make  an  imitation  snow  storm  picture 


57 


take  a thin  solution  of  India  ink,  dip  a 
small  stiff  brush  in  it  and  spatter  the  neg- 
ative, taking  care  that  the  spray  strikes 
the  negative  at  the  proper  angle.  The 
spray  will  be  distributed  more  evenly  if 
the  brush  is  held  a little  distance  from  the 
negative. 

If  possible,  use  rubber  stoppers  to  all 
bottles.  Cork  stoppers  are  not  air  tight ; 
besides,  they  are  liable  to  discolor  the 
liquid. 

Films  are  to  be  developed  exactly  the 
same  as  plates.  They  may  be  softened  so 
as  not  to  curl  after  developing  and  fixing, 
by  emersion  in  a solution  of  equal  parts  of 
alcohol,  glycerine  and  water. 

Be  careful  in  development ; have  your 
negative  as  perfect  as  possible. 


58 


^DEFECTS  IN  NEGATIVES  AND  THEIR  REME- 
DIES. 

WANT  OF  DETAIL  IN  LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS. 

It  is  generally  supposed  to  be  due  to 
under  exposure,  but  this  is  not  always  the 
case.  For  instance,  you  expose  a plate 
for  four  seconds.  It  develops  in  from  one 
to  two  and  one-half  minutes,  and  the  result 
is  with  the  above  defect.  It  is  a proof 
that  you  have  used  more  pyro.  than  the 
plate  required.  Now  try  again.  Take  a 
plate  out  of  the  same  package,  give  three 
seconds  exposure,  use  only  half  the  amount 
of  pyro.  stock  solution  to  the  usual  amount 
of  sal  soda  stock  solution,  and  the  nega- 
tive will  develop  in  three  or  three  and  one- 
half  minutes  ; result,  a fine  negative  in 
definitions  and  brilliancy.  On  the  other 
hand,  a negative  may  have  precisely  the 
same  appearance  as  the  foregoing  one,  but 

^Directions  sent  with  dry  plates  of  the  M.  A.  Seed  Co. 


59 


it  took  from  five  to  ten  minutes  to  develop. 
Try  another  and  double  the  amount  of  ex- 
posure. 

GRANULARITY  OF  NEGATIVE. 

This  defect  generally  appears  during 
the  warm  weather.  There  are  two  causes 
— one  the  result  of  insufficient  mixing  of 
the  developer  before  pouring  over  the  plate, 
especially  if  too  strong  and  too  high  tem- 
perature. Remedy  : Dilute  the  developer 
with  water  one-third,  or  use  ice  water  with- 
out the  dilution. 

Another  cause  is  the  fixing  bath  being 
too  milky,  through  containing  too  much 
alum.  Remedy:  Never  use  a fixing  bath 
which  is  muddy.  Filter  it. 

FLATNESS,  OR  WANT  OF  HIGH  LIGHTS  IN  NEGATIVES. 

This  generally  is  due  to  over-timing. 
The  more  rapid  the  plate,  the  less  latitude 
you  have  in  time  of  exposure.  A slower 
plate  always  gives  a wider  range.  Too 


6o 


much  sal  soda  produces  flatness,  also  a de- 
veloper weak  in  pyro. 

SMALL,  ROUND,  SHARPLY  DEFINED,  TRANSPARENT 
SPOTS. 

Some  photographers  wet  their  plates  be- 
fore applying  the  developer.  If  this  is  not 
thoroughly  done,  air  bubbles  will  be  formed 
on  the  surface,  and  hence  cause  the  spots 
above  referred  to.  With  our  plates  wet- 
ting is  unnecessary.  Another  cause  of 
similar  spots  is  using  water  for  the  devel- 
oper which  contains  vegetable  matter, 
causing  it  to  bubble  more  or  less  while 
pouring  it  on  the  plate.  Remedy:  Use 
distilled  water.  Good  well  water  might  do. 

On  account  of  the  extreme  rapidity  of 
our  plates,  great  care  should  be  taken  that 
they  are  developed  in  a suitable  light. 
Green  glass,  covered  with  one  or  more 
thicknesses  of  postoffice  paper  makes  a 
pleasant  and  safe  light  for  Seed  Plates. 


6i 


Test: — Expose  one-half  of  a plate  three 
minutes  to  your  light  in  developing  room 
and  develop.  If  the  part  exposed  is  as 
clear  as  the  unexposed  part  your  light  is 
safe. 

Irregular  shaped,  transparent  spots  are 
generally  due  to  dust  on  the  plates.  To 
avoid,  wipe  out  with  damp  sponge  camera 
and  plate  holder  at  least  once  every  week. 
Also  be  sure  and  dust  off  plate  before  put- 
ting in  holder.  Don’t  blow  it. 

Blisters  are  generally  due  to  too  acid 
fixing  bath.  Neutralize  with  ammonia  or 
carbonate  of  soda. 

Streaks  are  due  to  fixing  bath,  when 
they  are  found  to  run  the  way  the  plate 
was  dipped,  bath  being  acid.  Neutralize 
with  ammonia.  If  they  still  continue  make 
up  new  bath  with  hypo.  only. 


62 


^DIRECTIONS  FOR  PRINTING, 

TONING  AND  FIXING  AR1STOTYPE  AND  MAT 
SURFACE  PAPER. 

Negatives  of  ordinary  strength  yield 
best  results.  Thin  negatives  should  be 
printed  under  double  tissue  paper,  or  in  the 
shade.  It  is  unnecessary  to  varnish  them. 

Printing  should  be  the  same  as  for  albu- 
men paper,  keeping  prints  light  and  deli- 
cate for  aristo.  tones,  or  carrying  them 
almost  to  the  bronze  stage  for  dark  tones. 
Where  paper  prints  too  slowly,  vignette 
with  cepa  or  onion  skin,  instead  of  tissue. 

Washing  before  toning  should  be  pro- 
longed until  the  water  is  clear  and  all  trace 
of  free  silver  removed,  throwing  off  the 
first  waters  quickly,  and  keeping  prints  in 
motion.  Do  not  use  agate  or  iron-ware 
trays  for  this  or  any  subsequent  operation. 

*Bradfisch  & Pierce.  Given  for  working  their 
“B.  P.’’  paper. 


63 


Toning. — The  following,  or  any  other 
bath  weak  in  alkali,  may  be  used  : — 

GOLD  TONING  BATH. 


Dissolve  and  add  a few  drops  of  gold 
stock  solution  (one  grain  to  the  ounce). 
Use  distilled  water  if  possible.  Allow  bath 
to  stand  one  hour,  then  add  one  grain  of 
gold  in  solution ; place  twenty-five  to  thirty 
prints  in  bath,  and  tone  until  the  half  tones 
and  high  lights  are  cleared,  showing  a blu- 
ish tint  by  transmitted  light.  Some  of 
the  red  in  the  shadows  must  be  left  in  the 
print,  or  the  same  will  be  over-toned. 
Never  add  gold  when  prints  are  in  bath, 
or  attempt  to  tone  more  than  twenty-five 
or  thirty  prints  in  a batch.  They  should 
be  kept  under  perfect  control,  and  the 
amount  of  gold  proportioned  so  as  to  tone 
in  not  less  than  seven  or  eight  minutes. 


Water, 

Bi-carbonate  of  soda, 
Acetate  of  soda, 


32  ounces. 
25  grains. 
50  grains. 


64 


If  the  prints  are  smoky  reduce  the  bi-car- 
bonate of  soda  to  twenty-five  grains.  This 
bath  can  be  used  repeatedly  by  the  addi- 
tion of  a small  amount  of  bi-carbonate  of 
soda  from  time  to  time,  and  gold  enough 
to  tone;  as  soon  as  it  becomes  discolored 
it  should  be  thrown  away.  After  toning 
place  prints  in  fresh  water,  to  which  a little 
salt  has  been  added,  then  rinse  in  one 
change  of  clear  water  and  place  in  follow- 
ing:— 


This  bath  can  be  used  repeatedly  until 
it  becomes  muddy.  Fix  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  minutes.  Washing,  after  fixing, 
should  be  by  frequent  changes  of  water; 
never  by  allowing  prints  to  soak  in  the 
tray.  Ten  or  twelve  changes  of  water  will 


FIXING  AND  HARDENING  BATH. 


Cold  water, 
Hypo., 

“B.  P.”  hardener, 


i gallon. 
6 ounces, 
i ounce. 


65 


eliminate  hypo,  better  than  two  hours 
washing  in  running  water. 

Mount  prints  with  good  starch  paste, 
and  dry  them  separately  if  possible.  An 
inexpensive  method  is  to  make  a series  of 
frames  from  common  laths  and  cover  the 
bottoms  of  them  with  ordinary  muslin  ; 
then  stack  them  up  when  filled.  Dust  and 
dirt  are  thus  avoided. 

Burnishing  should  not  be  attempted  until 
prints  are  thoroughly  dry,  or  they  will 
change  in  color  and  blister.  Do  not  use 
too  hot  a burnisher.  Lubricate  with  Ivory 
or  castile  soap.  Do  not  use  soap  contain- 
ing alkali,  or  prints  will  redden. 

In  conclusion  it  may  be  said:  first, 
procure  a good  camera;  second,  use  only 
first-class  plates,  developing  solutions,  ton- 
ing baths,  etc ; third,  work  slow,  have 
patience,  persevere,  do  not  get  discouraged 
easily  and  your  success  will  be  assured. 


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